Order of Business (Resumed).

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Deputy Enda Kenny:I would like to bring to the Chair’s attention that the Fine Gael spokesperson on justice, equality and law reform merely said that he hoped that the Ceann Comhairle’s office——

An Ceann Comhairle:We have dealt with the matter now.

Deputy Enda Kenny:We have not dealt with it.

An Ceann Comhairle:We are proceeding with the Order of Business. I call the Taoiseach.

Deputy Enda Kenny:All the Deputy said was that he hoped that the Ceann Comhairle’s office was not complicit in this matter——

An Ceann Comhairle:There was clear implication it was.

Deputy Enda Kenny:All he said was that he hoped that the Ceann Comhairle’s office was not complicit. The Ceann Comhairle is wrong on this.

Deputy Noel Dempsey:That is an insinuation. The Deputy knew exactly what he was doing.

The Taoiseach:I would like to reply. As the Ceann Comhairle said, the facility of a personal explanation is available to a Member in the House under Standing Orders and if there were any requirement — and I believe there should not be — for political or other reasons to bring a motion to the House, that is a matter for other Members to consider.

Deputy Kenny referred to standards. I believe in standards. The Cabinet Handbook and the Code of Conduct for Office Holders refers to people in the performance of their duties. I obviously also accept that in regard to their private capacity, I expect Ministers to ensure where an error occurs, it is rectified, it is apologised for——

Deputy Leo Varadkar:When they are caught out on tape.

The Taoiseach:——and it is accepted by the party concerned. There is an acceptance by the party concerned not in terms of how it is interpreted in this House that Deputy O’Dea acted innocently——

Deputy Michael Creed:He had it done under duress.

An Ceann Comhairle:The Taoiseach, without interruption.

The Taoiseach:The Deputies do not want to hear this quote because it does not suit their political purposes. That is their problem and that is the standard they go by.

Deputy Dermot Ahern:They did it to George Lee last week. Poor George.

Deputy James Reilly:He did not fall out of any tree the Minister was looking up.

The Taoiseach:However, the standard I want to explain is where a person admits an error and acts in good faith once the error is drawn to his or her attention and obtains the agreement of the party concerned that he or she acted innocently in the matter. Despite Deputy Rabbitte’s guffawing, I will quote from the settlement. It is not suggested——

Deputy Pat Rabbitte:He has been lying in here for 25 years.

The Taoiseach:No; the lies are in The Lost Revolution.

[251]Deputies:Hear, hear.

The Taoiseach:I read it over Christmas and the Deputy was fairly prominent in it.

Deputy Dermot Ahern:The Deputy did not welcome the INLA decommissioning.

The Taoiseach:I ask him to leave it. Let us not talk about lies or untruths.

Deputy Dermot Ahern:The Deputy did not welcome the INLA decommissioning, did he?

The Taoiseach:It is not suggested by Mr. Quinlivan——

Deputy Dermot Ahern:Neither did Deputy Gilmore or Lady Wicklow. They were very quiet.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch:It was SR Technics the Taoiseach should have been reading about.

The Taoiseach:——that Deputy O’Dea acted other than innocently in making such a denial, and he accepts — that is, the party concerned accepts — that there was no intention to mislead on the part of Deputy O’Dea.

Deputy Brian Hayes:Are these the taxi drivers?

The Taoiseach:Those are the standards I expect from a person when an error is made.

Deputy Enda Kenny:He did not sign the affidavit.

The Taoiseach:He is admitting to it and is attempting to solve the problem and deal with it to the satisfaction of the aggrieved person.

Deputy Brian Hayes:He was caught out.

The Taoiseach:That is what I expect.

Deputy Enda Kenny:That is not good enough.

An Ceann Comhairle:We are proceeding with the Order of Business. I have an amendment from Deputy Kenny which is not in order. It is the Taoiseach’s prerogative under Standing Orders to introduce the proposal for the Order of Business.

Question put: “That the proposal for dealing with Nos. 10 and 11, without debate, be agreed to.”

An Ceann Comhairle:Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members’ business agreed?

Deputy Emmet Stagg:On that point, I understand that a statement will be made at 7 p.m., the time at which Private Members’ business was to start. How does this affect the order to finish Private Members’ time at 8.30 p.m.? Will the statement time be taken from the Private Members’ business slot?

An Ceann Comhairle:The statement will be before 7 p.m.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:At what time?

An Ceann Comhairle:It depends on how we get on now. We have some more business to transact.

Deputy Seymour Crawford:That is no answer.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte:He wants an opportunity to record it.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle:It will be as soon as possible. We have a special notice question with which to deal.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:I cannot hear the Ceann Comhairle.

An Ceann Comhairle:We have a special notice question to deal with and it may take some time.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:Has the Ceann Comhairle an indication of the time at which the statement will start?

An Ceann Comhairle:It is intended that it will be before 7 p.m.

Deputy Olivia Mitchell:What time is that?

Deputy Pat Rabbitte:At what time exactly?

An Ceann Comhairle:It is dependent on the special notice question, in which I am sure there is considerable interest, but it is intended to have it before 7 p.m.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:Does the Minister intend to slip in and make the statement without telling us the time?

An Ceann Comhairle:It is intended to be before 7 p.m.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:What is meant by “before 7 p.m.”?

An Ceann Comhairle:Before 7 o’clock.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:Does that mean at 6 o’clock? “Before 7 p.m.” includes 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Does the Ceann Comhairle not know?

(Interruptions).

[254]An Ceann Comhairle:It will be at 6.55 p.m.

Deputy Emmet Stagg:At five minutes before 7 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle:Yes.

Deputy Paul Kehoe:On a point of order——

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle:Deputy Kehoe without interruption.

Deputy Paul Kehoe:It was indicated this morning that the Minister, Deputy O’Dea, would make a statement after Private Members’ business. As Whip, I then got a message that the statement would be made at 7 p.m. Now we do not know when it will be made.

The Taoiseach:When the long hand is at 11 and the short hand is at 7.

Deputy Paul Kehoe:I do not accept——

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle:We will have it before 7 p.m.

Deputy Paul Kehoe:May I finish? It is not acceptable——

(Interruptions).

Deputy Paul Kehoe:It is not acceptable that the Minister could enter the Chamber on a whim at any time to make his statement. It is important that we nail down a time as to when he will be in the House making his statement.

A Deputy:Burn the Sunday Independent.

Deputy Noel Dempsey:We will send Deputy Kehoe a text.

Deputy Jim O’Keeffe:Could the Minister send an affidavit instead?

An Ceann Comhairle:We must move on.

(Interruptions).

Deputy Paul Kehoe:At what time will the Minister make a statement? When will he be in the House?

Deputy Dermot Ahern:In due course.

An Ceann Comhairle:We have indicated that a suitable time will be 6.55 p.m.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte:That clashes with “Nob Nation”.

An Ceann Comhairle:We estimate that it will take the Minister approximately five minutes to make the statement. It will be immediately prior to Private Members’ business.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh:Can the Ceann Comhairle give a commitment that Private Members’ time will be 90 minutes? This is the only commitment we seek.

[255]A Deputy:That is sacrosanct.

An Ceann Comhairle:It is intended to respect that. Is the proposal agreed? Agreed.